# Mason Jars and other functional storage containers.. What's your thoughts?



## PinkFloydFan (Oct 1, 2009)

Good Evening folks.

Well, I have run out of Mason jars.. :der:

24 of the pints sized screw tops with varying tobaccos in each one.
Most pretty full, some.. just a few flakes..

A few thoughts and questions came to mind as I "cellared" even a few more baggies and tins I got today and Switched out the contents of some of my small Tupperware type ones I keep in my upsatirs office...all while glaring at the the nearly 3/4 full ziploc bag of Cherry Room Freshener baccy my Mom bought me for Christmas... ( She likes the smell.. and I like the Peterson it came with.. ) 

Ok.. What do you think?

:hmm: * How tight do you think you should pack a mason jar ? 
( I jammed quite a few huge sticks , and them some large clumps of AnniKake into one today.. About 1/2 of an 8oz bag. Damn it smells good.. Its already a pressed cake.. I can press it while its stored.. Right?)

:hmm: * Do you store your open tobacco in the original tin is came in, If it provides a nice seal / twists shut.. ( ie: .. The Escudo Tins or most round tins.) 

:hmm: * Glass, Plastic, Metal, Wood, Pottery, Paper... etc.. 
What is the best material of choice for storage for your tobacco , In your opinion?



Vin..

( P.s. Still looking for a pipe rack too.)


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

I use the half pint jars and put 2 oz of tobacco in each for most tobaccos, 4 oz for "compact stuff" like Stonehaven or Anniversary Kake. Although the two jars of Anny Kake I have now are 5 oz each; I wouldn't pack them that full now.

I keep all my opened tobacco in the tins, even the FVF is still in the tin. Of course, if I was one of the guys that had twenty tins open at one time, I'd probably switch the stuff to mason jars. I'm going nuts right now because no one has the half pint jars in stock in town, and I'd rather not switch to full pints. Later in the year I'll probably stock up on jars; at that point I may start keeping opened tins in jars as well, I don't know.


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## Cpuless (Aug 8, 2009)

Personally, I put most of my stuff into the mason jars. Makes it easier to organize em if they are all the same size/shape. I prefer the clear glass so i can see if something weird happens/how much is left in each without opening. I also love being able to sample any one of my baccys without having to worry about a tin drying out before I finish it.

OH, except Escudo. I go through that stuff so fast I know it wont dry out. 8)


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

IMHO...

:hmm: * How tight do you think you should pack a mason jar ? 

-As tight as it will bear, leaving some room at the top for air.

:hmm: * Do you store your open tobacco in the original tin is came in

-My open tins stay in tins, because I like the way they look. Escudo-type stay as-is, cans and rectangles get aluminum foil under the lid. Blends that only come as bulk that are for smoking (ie not aging) get thrown in mason jars. Sounds like you should stock up on half pints - the small ones.

:hmm: * Glass, Plastic, Metal, Wood, Pottery, Paper... etc.. 
What is the best material of choice for storage for your tobacco , In your opinion?

-Glass, then food safe plastic and metal, then pottery, then wood and paper.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

Jars is good. I buy them by the case for the best price. 1/2 Gallon, Quart, pint and 1/2 pint. Lids and rings are cheapest online. Probably have 8-10 dozen in use now and a 3-4 cases available. I pack them pretty full. A 2 oz can can be jammed in a 1/2 pint jar, but I don't munch flakes, ropes, plugs, or coins at all; loose fit only!

I like being able to clean and sterilize them easily. No issues whatsoever here!


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

I never move my tins to mason jars. That is what ziploc bags are for.


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

Rascal said:


> I never move my tins to mason jars. That is what ziploc bags are for.


Baggies are only good for a few weeks, unless you smoke heavily-cased aromatics, like Captain Black - which when the sun entirely envelops the planet a few billion years from now *might* dry out a touch.

------------------

Jars are my number one choice. You can open as many tins as you like, because a jar is an even better storage container, owing to the always-resealable airtight lid -- something all tins lack. They're infinitely reusable; you just need to run them through a dishwasher with a drying cycle to sanitize them. Dipping them in boiling water works otherwise -- though the so-called vacuum seal effect you get with a hot jar is unnecessary for tobacco.


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

Depends on your ambient humidity. Dried out tobacco in the south is practically impossible. The bag is more of a stabilizing factor and to protect it from acquiring any odors during its storage.



drastic_quench said:


> Baggies are only good for a few weeks, unless you smoke heavily-cased aromatics, like Captain Black - which when the sun entirely envelops the planet a few billion years from now *might* dry out a touch.
> 
> ------------------
> 
> Jars are my number one choice. You can open as many tins as you like, because a jar is an even better storage container, owing to the always-resealable airtight lid -- something all tins lack. They're infinitely reusable; you just need to run them through a dishwasher with a drying cycle to sanitize them. Dipping them in boiling water works otherwise -- though the so-called vacuum seal effect you get with a hot jar is unnecessary for tobacco.


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## Jogi (Dec 4, 2009)

Rascal said:


> Depends on your ambient humidity. Dried out tobacco in the south is practically impossible. The bag is more of a stabilizing factor and to protect it from acquiring any odors during its storage.


True. I have a pouch of Captain Black's White, which I opened to see how moist it was, and then put it in a ziplock. Less than 10 days and it's dry enough to be smoked easily (I THINK)... And the bag has been kinda unable to contain the smell of the casing. I'm hoping it doesn't creep into the other bag lying beside it...


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

I don't keep many aros but I double bag the ones that I do... ALWAYS. In fact, I have been known to double bag and shove them into an airtight jar. Christmas Blend scares me every year. I usually get it in the fall and storing it until the holidays basically has me treating it like the plague. I smoke about 4 bowls of it over the course of the holiday (for the wife) and the rest gets used as pot pourri.



Jogi said:


> True. I have a pouch of Captain Black's White, which I opened to see how moist it was, and then put it in a ziplock. Less than 10 days and it's dry enough to be smoked easily (I THINK)... And the bag has been kinda unable to contain the smell of the casing. I'm hoping it doesn't creep into the other bag lying beside it...


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## juni (Oct 16, 2009)

I use tinfoil for opened tins if I know I'll smoke it fairly quickly. So far it has kept the tobacco from getting dry. If I know it might take me a long time to finish a tin I use jars.


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## phinz (Jan 5, 2010)

Rascal said:


> Depends on your ambient humidity. Dried out tobacco in the south is practically impossible. The bag is more of a stabilizing factor and to protect it from acquiring any odors during its storage.


I dunno about that. I just wasted about half a tin of Vintage Syrian because I forgot it was in my pouch and it was drier than the Sahara when I went to fill my pouch for last night's pipe club meeting.


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

That is because it is winter and a pouch provides no protection. No one really cares about a couple of cents worth of tobacco in a pouch but if you do, throw the whole thing in a ziploc bag. Take your pipes out of it, of course, pipes should pretty much never be stored in something air tight.



phinz said:


> I dunno about that. I just wasted about half a tin of Vintage Syrian because I forgot it was in my pouch and it was drier than the Sahara when I went to fill my pouch for last night's pipe club meeting.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Mason jars are the best solution as many have already said, but if I know I'll smoke it within a month or two, any type of tin works just fine.


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## Diodon nepheligina (Nov 5, 2009)

The jury is still out on the results, but I can fit 2 tins of SG into one of those glad plastic containers with the red lid. This is for opened tins, of course. 

If you don't mind obscuring the stylish tin art in a cheap plastic tub, I'm betting you can extend the life of the baccy in the tin keeping it sealed up this way.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

Rascal said:


> I never move my tins to mason jars. That is what ziploc bags are for.


Baggies are useless as they are NOT moisture or water vapor barriers. Freezer bags are better but still not as good a barrier as is glass.

Once I open a tin, in a jar it goes. As long as a tin has a good seal that tobacco stays in the tin. Food-grade (gold lined) paint cans make good bulk storage but their shipping costs can be high.

He speaks truth .......



drastic_quench said:


> Jars are my number one choice. You can open as many tins as you like, because a jar is an even better storage container, owing to the always-resealable airtight lid -- something all tins lack. They're infinitely reusable; you just need to run them through a dishwasher with a drying cycle to sanitize them. Dipping them in boiling water works otherwise -- though the so-called vacuum seal effect you get with a hot jar is unnecessary for tobacco.


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## Tom Gooding (Jan 11, 2010)

What about leaving the tobacco in the tin but putting the tin inside a zip lock/freezer bag?


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

Tom Gooding said:


> What about leaving the tobacco in the tin but putting the tin inside a zip lock/freezer bag?


Better than just putting the little plastic or metal back on. Not really better than the cover the tin with foil and put the tin's own lid back. Good for a short period if not in stiflingly dry climate ..... like the Mojave Desert .....

Remember too, that every time the container is opened, dry air in, moist air out. :banghead:


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

I think if you're going for long-term storage, as in aging, you should use Mason jars. But to keep tobacco you're smoking, I highly recommend the screw-top Ziploc plastic containers. Not only are they inexpensive, they'll keep tobacco fine for months.


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## Diodon nepheligina (Nov 5, 2009)

plexiprs said:


> Better than just putting the little plastic or metal back on. Not really better than the cover the tin with foil and put the tin's own lid back. Good for a short period if not in stiflingly dry climate ..... like the Mojave Desert .....
> 
> Remember too, that every time the container is opened, dry air in, moist air out. :banghead:


Good point. And even if you do not reside in the Mojave Desert, the Sonoran Desert, the Chihuahuan Desert, the Great Basin Desert, or any other arid zone of the world, homes with doors and windows shut will have a surprising amount of the humidity in the air removed via the HVAC system.


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

plexiprs said:


> Baggies are useless as they are NOT moisture or water vapor barriers. Freezer bags are better but still not as good a barrier as is glass.
> 
> Once I open a tin, in a jar it goes. As long as a tin has a good seal that tobacco stays in the tin. Food-grade (gold lined) paint cans make good bulk storage but their shipping costs can be high.
> 
> He speaks truth .......


Depends on where you live. In the south the humidity is too high for pipe tobacco most months of the year. HVAC doesn't even come close to pulling enough moisture from the air. I run 3 dehumidfiers all summer and 7 months out of the year I never have to touch the beads in my cigar humidor.

7 years ago we moved. 2 years ago I found a ziploc bag of tobacco that got stuck in a box with some kitchen stuff we never use. It was ready to smoke.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

Rascal said:


> Depends on where you live. In the south the humidity is too high for pipe tobacco most months of the year. HVAC doesn't even come close to pulling enough moisture from the air. I run 3 dehumidfiers all summer and 7 months out of the year I never have to touch the beads in my cigar humidor.
> 
> 7 years ago we moved. 2 years ago I found a ziploc bag of tobacco that got stuck in a box with some kitchen stuff we never use. It was ready to smoke.


Yep! Location, location, location. Now, I'm in Dryville. But, growing up in Florida, we (my Dad and I) stored all our cigars in their original boxes stacked in a closet. No humidors, not beads, or other gadgets. Of course, most were his not mine. But damn was it nice to see a stack of Habanos standing taller than me in a hall closet .......... :faint2:


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## KINGLISH (Jul 27, 2009)

What about acrylic jars?


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## Arctic Fire (Jan 17, 2010)

Just to let you all know Target sells Kerr wide mouth quart mason jars. 11 bucks plus tax for 12. I went to wally world and didnt see em up.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

KINGLISH said:


> What about acrylic jars?


Depends, but most "household" plastic containers are not a true vapor barrier. Better than nothing but not for long term storage (years).


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## WWhermit (Nov 30, 2008)

KINGLISH said:


> What about acrylic jars?


Acrylic is a type of plastic. No plastic is good for long term storage, be it jars or baggies.

Plastic does not keep an airtight seal for aging, and will eventually give a plastic-ish taste to your tobacco. At least in my experience.

WWhermit
ipe:


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Arctic Fire said:


> Just to let you all know Target sells Kerr wide mouth quart mason jars. 11 bucks plus tax for 12. I went to wally world and didnt see em up.


They've got 'em at ours (we're too small for a Target), but alas, not the half pint I want.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

If you have an Ace Hardware nearby, you can order online for delivery to the local store. I get half-pint, pint and quarts from Albertson's. Half-gallon and gallon I get via the Ace Hardware website. I now avoid the gallons. When filled they are really heavy .......


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## Amlique (Sep 9, 2009)

I use something similar to this that I purchase at walmart for around $1.10 each.



But I like to keep my tobacco somewhat visible, so I like something a little more fancy (?) than a typical mason jar.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Diodon nepheligina said:


> The jury is still out on the results, but I can fit 2 tins of SG into one of those glad plastic containers with the red lid. This is for opened tins, of course.
> 
> If you don't mind obscuring the stylish tin art in a cheap plastic tub, I'm betting you can extend the life of the baccy in the tin keeping it sealed up this way.


I have friends that just place their tins into ziploc bags.:bowl:


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

plexiprs said:


> Yep! Location, location, location. Now, I'm in Dryville. But, growing up in Florida, we (my Dad and I) stored all our cigars in their original boxes stacked in a closet. No humidors, not beads, or other gadgets. Of course, most were his not mine. But damn was it nice to see a stack of Habanos standing taller than me in a hall closet .......... :faint2:


Nice.

I would be in for a rude awakening if I ever moved someplace dry. I can get by with being pretty lazy most of the time.


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> I have friends that just place their tins into ziploc bags.:bowl:


This is what I meant. You don't want your tobacco to come in direct content with plastic on a long-term basis but inside a tin inside a plastic bag is fine for quite awhile depending on where you live.


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## Garys4598 (Jan 16, 2010)

WWhermit said:


> Acrylic is a type of plastic. No plastic is good for long term storage, be it jars or baggies.
> 
> Plastic does not keep an airtight seal for aging, and will eventually give a plastic-ish taste to your tobacco. At least in my experience.
> 
> ...


Wonderful thread and discussion gents! I was considering purchasing two or three of the smaller sized Tupperware kitchen containers that have the vacuum pump lid, but after reading *WWhermit's* post above, I'm grateful for the knowledge sharing; he's saved me from making a potential BIG mistake.

Do none of you use those mini humidification pucks/disks that are offered for storage of pipe tobacco? I was considering purchasing a few of those as well, to place underneath the lid of whatever I decide to go with for a storage jar. . . . but I'm essentially clueless as to whether they are a good thing or just a gimmick?

~Gary


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

Garys4598 said:


> Wonderful thread and discussion gents! I was considering purchasing two or three of the smaller sized Tupperware kitchen containers that have the vacuum pump lid, but after reading *WWhermit's* post above, I'm grateful for the knowledge sharing; he's saved me from making a potential BIG mistake.
> 
> Do none of you use those mini humidification pucks/disks that are offered for storage of pipe tobacco? I was considering purchasing a few of those as well, to place underneath the lid of whatever I decide to go with for a storage jar. . . . but I'm essentially clueless as to whether they are a good thing or just a gimmick?
> 
> ~Gary


I wouldn't call them a gimmick but I don't see why they would be needed except for temporary storage in dry climates.


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

Garys4598 said:


> Wonderful thread and discussion gents! I was considering purchasing two or three of the smaller sized Tupperware kitchen containers that have the vacuum pump lid, but after reading *WWhermit's* post above, I'm grateful for the knowledge sharing; he's saved me from making a potential BIG mistake.
> 
> Do none of you use those mini humidification pucks/disks that are offered for storage of pipe tobacco? I was considering purchasing a few of those as well, to place underneath the lid of whatever I decide to go with for a storage jar. . . . but I'm essentially clueless as to whether they are a good thing or just a gimmick?
> 
> ~Gary


You really don't need to ADD moisture - just an airtight seal will keep the baccy moist. However, if you start off with dried out baccy then you are probably better off re-hydrating it first, then airtight seal the saved leaf (see other threads here about rehydrating, I'm too lazy to post links).


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## Garys4598 (Jan 16, 2010)

Thanks *RJpuffs*, thanks *Rascal*!

:grouphug:


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

RJpuffs said:


> You really don't need to ADD moisture - just an airtight seal will keep the baccy moist. However, if you start off with dried out baccy then you are probably better off re-hydrating it first, then airtight seal the saved leaf (see other threads here about rehydrating, I'm too lazy to post links).


Right. Long-term should not require humdification. If you are taking a long trip with a pouch or something you might have need for one but that depends on the climate I suppose.


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## Jessefive (Oct 21, 2009)

This is all good to know! *takes his humification disc out of the mason jar* I moved my open tins to mason jars when I realized they were getting a little too dry.

Just to clarify, are some of you saying you take tobacco out of sealed tins to age in mason jars? Or you only transfer if the tin has been opened, or you want to occasionally smoke some? A sealed tin would be the ideal container to age in, no?


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

I think most people favor leaving sealed tins sealed for aging. Mason jars for open tins and bulk blends.


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## Rascal (Jan 29, 2010)

Jessefive said:


> This is all good to know! *takes his humification disc out of the mason jar* I moved my open tins to mason jars when I realized they were getting a little too dry.
> 
> Just to clarify, are some of you saying you take tobacco out of sealed tins to age in mason jars? Or you only transfer if the tin has been opened, or you want to occasionally smoke some? A sealed tin would be the ideal container to age in, no?


You leave it in the tin as long as it has not been opened or unless it appears damaged and you have no return options.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

Jesse5,

If I receive tobacco in a manufacturer's sealed tin, in good condition and seemingly unbreeched it stays there until I can no longer resist the goodies that tempt and whisper my name in the dark .....

Uh, hmmmm, hrmmmph! 

After opening a tin, or any bulk tobacco received in "plastic" containers, the contents are moved to glass jars. For example, this weekend I received a 500g bag of Kendal Kentucky and that immediately went into a quart jar, with some pushing and cussing. Since I've other more aged KK on hand this jar will age away unmolested until the first 6 jars are consumed. I use 1/2-pint jars for baccy at work and as my "current rotation" at home to minimize the impact on quantities aging.


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## Mister Entertainer (Oct 7, 2009)

Amlique said:


> I use something similar to this that I purchase at walmart for around $1.10 each.
> 
> But I like to keep my tobacco somewhat visible, so I like something a little more fancy (?) than a typical mason jar.


I got ones similar to that one at wally world too! Mine are square though, they seem rather airtight. The seal seems like it is pretty serious. Keep in touch with me Amlique and tell me how it does at keeping your baccy preserved.


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## phinz (Jan 5, 2010)

plexiprs said:


> JFor example, this weekend I received a 500g bag of Kendal Kentucky and that immediately went into a quart jar, with some pushing and cussing.


I did the same thing. Got a 20 oz. bag of baccy and managed to get it into a quart jar. Wound up using a pint jar and my fingers as a press. The pint jar fits into the widemouth quart jar for pressing the center, and then my fingers pressed the outside edges the pint jar couldn't reach.

I was wondering why my arthritis was acting up this morning. Guess I just figured it out. :dizzy:


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Mister Entertainer said:


> I got ones similar to that one at wally world too! Mine are square though, they seem rather airtight. The seal seems like it is pretty serious. Keep in touch with me Amlique and tell me how it does at keeping your baccy preserved.


I use these for my "dig-into" jars. They hold about 4 oz (in the size I bought) which I find manageable, and when they get low, I refill them from mason jar'd tobacco.


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

A related and borderline OT question for those who have mason jars that were filled before I was an itch in my daddy's pants ... or a few years ago, whichever came first ...

I hear from the "jam canning gurus" (same technology, different organic product going into the jar) that the lids should NOT be reused as the rubber gasket may have gotten weak with the first canning. I see lids and bands for sale (without the jars), so I'm assuming there is something to this theory? Any old timer stories? Anyone, anyone? opcorn:


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## Cpuless (Aug 8, 2009)

I would imagine that this has more to do with how strong the seal is after the jar has been vacuum sealed via boiling water. Just my attempt at logic though I may be wrong.


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

Mason jars work wonderfully. The tighter the pack, the less room for air (oxygen). I pack aromatics tightly(tamped down hard), and others just gravity fed with a light shake to settle.

I've recently dropped and broken a jar, leading me to search for airtight metal canisters to avoid future tragedy. 

I notice many plastics leave their scent in the tobacco.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

RJpuffs said:


> A related and borderline OT question for those who have mason jars that were filled before I was an itch in my daddy's pants ... or a few years ago, whichever came first ...
> 
> I hear from the "jam canning gurus" (same technology, different organic product going into the jar) that the lids should NOT be reused as the rubber gasket may have gotten weak with the first canning. I see lids and bands for sale (without the jars), so I'm assuming there is something to this theory? Any old timer stories? Anyone, anyone? opcorn:


My experience is that since we aren't "canning" the tobacco, i.e., subjecting it, the jar, the lid and ring, to boiling water, that the elastomeric seal on the lid is *not* suffering from the effects of the heat.

I've found, many times, that some lids can be reused several times and others seem to loose their gummy sealing quality after only one use. Seems to run in batches.

I try to always keep the seal itself free from debris and replace them when they have no or little spring or show signs of cracks forming. Because of their low price for a box of lids, I replace when in doubt. No failures yet.


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## KetherInMalkuth (Dec 17, 2009)

I use half-pint jars, they generally hold about 4 oz of tobacco, depending on if it's flake or rubbed.. I prefer the smaller size because it will allow me to open up something I'm wanting to smoke without opening the whole batch. I also don't heat seal them, just tighten the lids on as tight as I can.


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## Verschnupft (Jun 15, 2009)

Plastic tends to absorb the odors of whatever you put in it. One of my professors was really into coffee and spent a pretty penny on a glass grinder for that very reason.

As for myself, I use some glass jars I picked up at one of the big box stores, I doubt they would be adequate for aging for a length of time but for keeping opened tins fresh for shorter periods they've worked wonderfully.



GuitarDan said:


> ...
> 
> I notice many plastics leave their scent in the tobacco.


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